April 8, 2000
Almost anything that you could think of possibly happening in a softball game happened in this one, except an illegal pitch. At a time when it seemed like no one was going to come away with the win for hours, the Tigers (28-16, 4-4) scored the winning run on an error by the Cowgirl (29-14, 6-4) catcher, Liz Silva. Missouri ended up with the 7-6 conference win, evening out their conference record at 4-4.
Missouri scored the first runs in the bottom of the first inning. Lindsey Jacoby got the first hit if the game with a single to right field. Stacy Gemeinhardt reached on a fielder's choice while Jacoby was out at second. Gemeinhardt stole second while the clean-up batter, Erin Erickson, was at bat. Erickson homered to center field to give the Tigers the 2-0 lead.
Oklahoma State tied the game in the second inning. Ryan Realmuto reached base on an error by Tiger shortstop Linda Swarts. Liz Silva walked. Lezli Leather's reached base on a fielder's choice, while Realmuto was thrown out at third for the second out of the inning. Casey O'Neill walked, loading the bases. Shelly Graham knocked a single into center field to score Leathers and Silva and tie the game at 2-2.
The Tigers took the lead again in the top of the fourth. Swarts started the inning with an infield single. Christy Caccavo came in to pinch run for Swarts. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mary McGrane. Dara Throneburg followed with a single to left field. She stole second on an Amy Farmer strikeout. Karen Williams reached base on an error by first baseman Christina Shaddox and Caccavo and Throneburg scored on the play, putting the Tigers up 4-2.
Oklahoma State tied the game again in the top of the sixth. Christina Shaddox struck out, but reached first on the dropped third strike by Farmer. Stephanie Hodges came in to pinch run for Shaddox. Kirsty Jennings singled, advancing Hodges. Nicci Quiroz came in to pinch run for Jennings. Amanda Hayes singled to left field to score Hodges. Stephanie Falk caught the ball and the plate then tried to throw out Quiroz at third, but threw the ball back into left field, allowing Quiroz to score. After six complete innings the game was tied at 6-6.
The Tigers had a chance to score and in the game in the bottom of the seventh, but smart defensive play by the Cowgirls kept them in the game and sent the game into extra innings. Neither team could get anywhere in the eighth or ninth innings. In the top of the 10th inning, International Tie-Breaker rules went into effect. With these rules, the batter who made the last out of the previous inning is placed at second base at the start of the new inning.
Jennings tripled to right-center field to score, Jenny Kipp, the runner placed at second, in the top of the 10th. Jennings also scored on a sacrifice fly by Hayes, giving the Cowgirls their first lead of the game, 6-4.
Jacoby was the Tigers runner to start the bottom of the tenth. She advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a Stacy Gemeinhardt ground out to the short stop. Erin Erickson followed up with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Christy Skouby reached base on an error by the Cowgirl second baseman, allowing Erickson to score and tie the game at 6-6.
The Tigers got into a bit of a jam in the top of the 11th inning, but smart defensive play and good pitching by Stephanie Falk kept the Cowgirls from scoring. The bases were loaded with one out and Falk threw a ball hit to her, right back to the plate to take out the OSU go-ahead run. Erickson threw the next batter out at first for the final out of the inning.
The Tigers used good offensive strategy and aggressive base running to end the game in the bottom of the 11th. Dara Throneburg was placed on second to start the inning. She advanced to third on a well-placed sacrifice bunt by Farmer. Throneburg scored on a Karen Williams fielder's choice. OSU attempted to make the play on Throneburg at the plate, but Silva dropped the ball before she could make the tag. Throneburg was safe and Missouri got the 7-6 victory.
Both the Missouri and Oklahoma State pitchers pitched the entire game. Lauren Bay took the loss for OSU. She had 14 strikeouts, walked three and gave up only two earned runs. Her record moves to 12-9. Stephanie Falk picked up her third consecutive win for the Tigers. With her 12 strikeouts, she achieved a new career high for strikeouts in a conference game. Falk gave up only one earned run in the game. Her record improves to 14-10.
The two teams face off again tomorrow at 1 p.m. at University Field. It is a "Day of Celebration" and all youth can get in for only $2.